[1] The protests began during October 2008 after the Fianna Fáil–Green Party coalition of the 30th Dáil oversaw the implementation of the bank guarantee, and were given further impetus by the late 2010 intervention of the European Union/European Central Bank/International Monetary Fund troika and the collapse of that government early the following year.

An initial slowdown in economic growth amid the international 2007–2008 financial crisis greatly intensified in late 2008 and the country fell into recession for the first time since the 1980s.

The Irish Stock Exchange (ISEQ) general index, which reached a peak of 10,000 points briefly in April 2007, fell to 1,987 points—a 14-year low—on 24 February 2009 (the last time it was under 2,000 being mid-1995).

[10] With the banks "guaranteed",[11] and the National Asset Management Agency (NAMA) established[12] on the evening of 21 November 2010, then Taoiseach Brian Cowen confirmed on live television that the EU/ECB/IMF troika would be involving itself in Ireland's financial affairs.

[18] The budget, labelled "the toughest in many years",[19] included a number of controversial measures such as a proposed income levy which was eventually restructured,[20] and the withdrawal of previously promised HPV vaccines for schoolgirls.

[21][22][23][24] Other results of the budget included a new income levy being imposed on all workers above a specified threshold and the closure of a number of military barracks near the border with Northern Ireland.

A series of demonstrations ensued amongst teachers and farmers,[30][31][32][33][34][35] whilst on 22 October 2008, at least 25,000 pensioners and students descended in solidarity on the Irish parliament at Leinster House, Kildare Street, Dublin.

[41] Independent Deputy Finian McGrath then threatened to withdraw his support for the government unless the plan to remove the over-70s automatic right to a medical card was withdrawn completely.

[42] Taoiseach Brian Cowen postponed a planned trip to China, sending Minister for Education and Science Batt O'Keeffe ahead to lead the delegation.

[57] A small-scale protest took part outside Leinster House on Kildare Street on the day the Fianna Fáil-led Government announced the budget for the upcoming year.

[58][59] For the early part of 2011 no major protests took place due to the onset of the Irish general election, which saw the formation of a Fine Gael and Labour Party coalition government.

[65] At around 4 pm on 29 November 2011, three student union presidents (of Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology, University College Cork and IT Carlow) under the leadership of Union of Students in Ireland (USI) President Gary Redmond occupied a room at Department of Social Protection on Dublin's Store Street as part of a continued effort to have the Labour Party clarify its position on tuition fees.

Occupy Dame Street's camp was dismantled by Gardaí in the early hours of 8 March during which time some 15 protesters affiliated with the group were present.

7 Members of Occupy Dame Street staged a demonstration in a Bank of Ireland branch in Dublin on 23 July, forcing it to temporarily close.

[88] A rally organised by the 'Campaign against the Household and Water Taxes' filled the 2,000 capacity National Stadium in Dublin with thousands more having to stand in the surrounding streets.

[100][101][102][103] On 9 February 2013, more than 110,000 people marched against the bank debt burden in nationwide demonstrations in Dublin, Cork, Galway, Limerick, Waterford and Sligo.

[109] In March 2014, people protested against austerity at an awards ceremony honouring President of the European Commission José Manuel Barroso in Cork.

[111] On 12 November, anti-water tax protesters heckled at Dublin's General Post Office as the Taoiseach unveiled the government's planned Easter Rising centenary commemorations.

[112] On 15 November, anti-water tax protesters including the recently elected Anti-Austerity Alliance TD Paul Murphy, forcibly prevented the car of the Tánaiste, Joan Burton, from leaving an event in Jobstown.

[114] A video from the same weekend of one young lady being flung violently against a bollard by Gardaí emerged later and went viral, provoking public outrage and commentary.

Scuffles broke out as Gardaí removed people by force to clear the thoroughfare and three men and a woman were arrested on public order offences.

[120] Civil disobedience was widespread across the nation as the year drew to a close, with residents in many areas preventing workmen from installing water meters on their properties.

[123][124] On 12 February, people demonstrated outside the Department of Justice following the arrests of some anti-austerity activists (including that of Paul Murphy, TD), in relation to the Jobstown protest of the previous November.

[126] On 21 February, thousands of people marched through Dublin from the Central Bank to Mountjoy Prison in opposition to the jailing of five protesters and the continuing arrests of activists.